1959 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1959 Atlantic hurricane season was an average season, with 11 storms, 8 of whom became hurricanes. The season had an early start. Alicia and Barry both formed in May, which is extremely rare. June was quiet with no storms forming. Chantal was a July hurricane that killed 10 in the US. August brought dean, Erin and Felix, of which Erin is the most notable. Erin struck New York city in late August cauing 700$ million in damages and 34 deaths. September was unusual in that it formed only 1 storm. Tropical Storm Gabrielle killed 56 in the Caribbean. October was the most active, with 4 storms forming. Hugo killed 4 in Cuba. Ira killed 80 in the Caribbean. Karen caused 200$ million in damages. In total, the season caused 192 deaths and 1.27$ billion in damages. *Last Season:1958 Atlantic hurricane season *Next Season:1960 Atlantic hurricane season Section heading Hurricane Alicia A tropical storm formed from a low north of Virgin on May 16. Alicia headed northwest, becoming a hurricane on the 20, making it one of the very few May hurricanes on record. After peaking as an 80 mph Category 1 hurricane, Alicia recurved to the northeast, where it dissipated at the 21. Tropical Storm Barry A tropical depression formed near Cuba from a low on May 27. The depression moved northwestward, making landfall in Pinar del Rio, Cuba the next day. It reemerged to the Gulf of Mexico on the 28. Later that day, the depression became Tropical Storm Barry. Barry peaked as a 60 mph tropical storm on the 29, and dissipated later that day due to wind shear. Barry caused mudslides in Cuba. Barry caused 100$ million in damages but 4 deaths in Cuba. Hurricane Chantal A low formed over the Bay of Campeche in early July. On July 3, the low became a depression, and a tropical storm later that day. Chantal moved towards Texas, becoming a hurricane along the way. Chantal made landfall in Galveston, Texas on the 6 as a stron Category 1 hurricane. After making landfall, Chantal weakened, dissipated over Tennessee on the 8. Chantal spawned a tornado that killed 10 in Louisiana. Hurricane Dean A wave exited out of Africa in mid August. A depression formed east of the Leeward Islands on August 15. It became Tropical Storm Dean later that day. Dean moved northwestwards peaking as a weak Category 1 hurricane off the Canadian coast on the 19. Dean became extratropical on the 24. Hurricane Erin A wave exited out of Africa in mid August. On August 16, the wave became a depression, and later a tropical storm between Africa and the Caribbean. Erin moved northwestward strengthening along the way. Due to outflow from hurricane Dean, Erin only managed to strengthen into a strong Category 2 hurricane on the 18. It maintained that intensity for 3 days. After Dean was gone, Erin started to strengthen, and finally made landfall as a weak Category 3 hurricane on the 24. Erin dissipated later that day. Erin caused 34 deaths in the Northeast and 700$ million in damages. Hurricane Felix A low exited out of Africa in late August. It became a depression on August 30, between Africa and the Caribbean. The depression became a tropical storm the next day. Felix headed northwest, but recurved to the northeast on September 3. Felix peaked as a weak Category 3 hurricane on the 5 but steadily weakened, dissipating over the cold waters of the Atlantic on the 9. Tropical Storm Gabrielle Gabrielle started as an area of low pressure of the Belizian coast. The low became a depression on September 28, and Tropical Storm Gabrielle at the time of its Mexican landfall later that day. Gabrielle moved over the Yucatan, then recurved northeastwards, making landfall in Cuba as a 60 mph tropical storm on October 3. Gabrielle slightly weakened, but again strengthened into its peak strength over the Bahamas. Gabrielle continued northeast, until it became extratropical off Canada on the 7. Gabrielle killed 56 in Mexico, Cuba and the Bahamas. Hurricane Hugo Hugo formed from a low over the Gulf of Mexico. The low became a depression on October 7. It became Tropical Storm Hugo later that day. Hugo moved towards Florida, making landfall near Tampa as a strong tropical storm on the 10. Hugo slightly weakened, but reemerged into the Atlantic on the 11. Due to the Gulf Stream, Hugo intensified, peaking as a 100 mph Category 2 hurricane on the 12. Hugo continued northeast until it became extratropical south of Canada the next day. Hugo caused 7 deaths in Florida. Hurricane Ira A low exited out of Africa in early October. The low did not show any signs of strengthening until it reached the Caribbean. a Depression formed west of the Windward Islands on October 9, and a tropical storm formed later that day. Ira moved northwestwards. When it reached the Yucatan on the 12, Ira suddenly recurved towards Cuba, strengthening. Ira made landfall as an 80 mph Category 1 hurricane on the 13 in southern Cuba. Ira weakened back to a tropical storm over the island, and weakened further over the Bahamas. Nevertheless, Ira managed to continue north towards the Virginian coast and then recurved westwards towards the open Atlantic. Ira dissipated on the 19 in the open Atlantic. Ira killed 80 in Cuba, Bahamas and Virginia, but mostly in Cuba. It also caused 27$ million in damages. Tropical Storm Jerry Jerry formed in the western Caribbean on October 21. Jerry moved northeastwards, towards Cuba. It made landfall in Cuba as a 45 mph tropical storm on the 22. Jerry steadily weakened, until it dissipated over the Bahamas on the 23. Jerry caused 2 deaths in Cuba and Bahamas. Hurricane Karen An area of low pressure became a tropical storm on October 26 southwest of Jamaica. Karen moved towards Cuba, making landfall as a weak Category 1 hurricane in southern Cuba on the 29. Briefly weakening into a tropical storm, Karen again intensified to a hurricane when it reemerged into a hurricane on the 30. After peaking as a strong Category 2 hurricane over the Bahamas, Karen started to move towards Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where it made landfall on the 31. Karen quickly weakened and dissipated over Virginia later that day. Karen caused 1 death in the US, but 200$ million in damages in the Caribbean. Section heading These names were used for the 1959 atlantic hurricane season This list is the same for 1953, except for Ira which replaced Iris. The names not retired from the list will be used again on 1965. A storm was named Ira for the first time in 1959. Names that were not used are marked in gray. Alicia Hugo Opal (unused) Barry Ira Pablo (unused) Chantal Jerry Roxanne (unused) Dean Karen Sebastian (unused) Erin Louis (unused) Tanya (unused) Felix Marilyn (unused) Van (unused) Gabrielle Noel (unused) Wendy (unused) Retirement: The names Erin, Ira and Karen were retired in 1959. They were replaced by Ida, Esther and Kara for 1965. Category:Hypothetical Events Category:Hypothetical Disasters Category:Hypothetical Hurricanes Category:Hurricanes Category:Atlantic hurricane seasons Category:Past Events Category:Past disasters Category:Past Atlantic hurricane seasons Category:Past Hurricanes Category:Events in the 1950s Category:What Could Have Been